Jackson didn’t think he’d ever wanted to punch someone in the face more than he did that man in that moment, even if he couldn’t explain why.
Chapter Four
Jackson slammed the locker room door on his way in once he was out of the sight of the crowd and cameras. Not only was he mad at himself, but he couldn’t get the grin from that weird Vega guy out of his mind. A part of him wanted to blame the interruption right before the match for the loss, but Jackson knew it wouldn’t have mattered. He’d been outmatched in his last bout of the season.
A moment later, Briggs and Kay entered behind him and shut the door again, albeit much gentler than Jackson had.
“What the hell happened out there?” Briggs asked. “I thought we had a plan! Take out the Element that’s weak against Scrappy, and then focus on the Plain!”
Jackson vented a frustrated sigh and shook his head. He searched for an answer that made sense then threw his hands in the air. “I have no idea! We were killing it and then —”
“There’s no way Jackson could have predicted Ron’s Glauco would evolve,” Kay said. “That completely changed the course of the match.”
“He still should have won,” Briggs said. “He took out the Glauco first, after all. If he’d only focused on him the entire time —”
“I know,” Jackson said, gritting his teeth. “I should have had him.” He hated losing, but especially hated losing when he knew he shouldn’t have.
Briggs gave a resigned shrug, seemingly content with Jackson’s admission. “Shakur knew this was a big match going in — he probably lined up his Glauco so that his XP was over the evolution threshold. It’s not unheard of, but pretty tricky to pull off, since evolution usually requires an unpredictable amount of duress. Not a bad strategy, especially with everything he had on the line.”
“It’s the same reason I was able to win against Akamu,” Jackson said. “Is this how Akamu felt after I beat him? Maybe I owe him an apology.”
“It’s all part of the sport,” Briggs said. “Either way, Shakur got the win.”
“Yeah,” Jackson said, lowering his head. “I’m going to be back down to number four after this.”
“Still a part of the Fab Four, though,” Kay said.
“Don’t patronize me,” Jackson said, stifling a small laugh.
Throughout the season, taming coaches and official media partners of the DBL tallied an unofficial ranking after each week of matches. Although standings were determined by a tamer’s actual record, it was still a point of pride to rank well in the Tamer’s Poll, as they called it. Each League had their own. As a member of the Fab Four, Jackson had been at the top with Fiona, Akamu, and Danai for most of the season. He’d been as high as second, a place he’d held over the last month over Danai and Fiona. He prepared himself to wake up in the morning and find he’d slipped to third, most likely fourth.
“We’ve been over this,” Briggs said. “The Tamer’s Poll is a vanity ranking. You’re just fine. In fact, we can use this to prepare for the playoffs. Aside from the evolution, Shakur had a few tricks up his sleeve. I’m sure he’s been watching your battle footage. Consider the match an opportunity to learn some lessons for free before it’s win-or-go-home in a couple of weeks.”
Jackson rubbed his face, dreading the interviews he’d have to sit through in the next few minutes. Losing wasn’t so bad, but answering a bunch of mindless questions right after definitely wasn’t on the top of his list of things to do for the rest of the night.
A knock came at the opposite door leading to the interior of the stadium. “Come in,” Jackson said, figuring it was one of the publicists wondering how long before he could be out to the press conference.
Instead, the familiar bleached white hair and a drawn face popped around the cracked door. “Mind if I come in?”
“Yeah, actually I do,” Jackson said. The man was about the last person he wanted to see right now. He turned to Briggs. “This is the guy that came in after you left.”
“Vega de Rivera, Djinn Growth Specialist,” he held out a hand to Briggs.
Briggs scowled and curled his hands into fists. Although he still had a decent-sized belly from years of overindulgence, Jackson had no doubt the old tamer could throw down a charging Auroxx if the mood took him. Vega was either much braver than he looked, or far too dense to realize the threat.
“Ah yes, I’m sorry about what happened out there,” Vega said quickly. Perhaps he had taken the hint because he didn’t move beyond the threshold of the door. “Tough loss, but that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I know that winning under pressure can be —”
“Skip the preamble. Spit it out or beat it,” Briggs said, growing impatient. “I won’t even bother calling security to deal with you.”
“Whoa there, take it easy,” Vega said, putting his hands up in surrender. “I’ll go! Just do me one favor?”
Kay folded her arms and gave Vega her best glare. “What do you want?”
Vega pointed at Jackson. “After things settle down in a day or two, give me a call. I’d like to talk about how we can help your Lyote reach its full potential before the playoffs. You have my card, yes? Unless you threw it out?”
“I have it.”
“Okay, then. Think it over, please. Talk to you soon!” The white-haired man was gone in an instant, leaving all three of them irritated and wondering where he’d come from.
“Usually security is tighter than that,” Briggs said. “I’ll have a chat with the arena folks in the morning. What did he say to you before?”
Jackson recounted the conversation and Briggs listened, scratching his stubble.
“My first guess was that he was some kind of sleaze-ball selling supplements or something. Some of the more enterprising weasels like that can talk or sneak their way past security if they think they’ll be able to make some money off of a tamer’s wallet or influence using their crap.”
“He said he was a researcher,” Jackson said.
Briggs shrugged. “Who knows? He could be legit. He could be a phony. Just do your research. I’d search him up on the holo and talk to me before you sign any endorsements or anything, got it? Trust me, kid, I know my way around worms like that. Dealt with them all the time at the Gold League level.”
Jackson nodded and internally agreed with Briggs. These days, he did hardly anything without his mentor’s approval. He’d learned the hard way more than once that Briggs almost always knew best. Case in point: the strategy for the battle Jackson had just finished.
“We’ll go over the tape in a couple of days,” Briggs said. “Don’t get down on yourself — use it as motivation for the playoffs.”
“Right,” Jackson said. “Motivation for the playoffs.”
Jackson stared out the window of the rail car as it glided on its single rail with a magnetic whir through the countryside.
It was his first trip home since he’d started the Bronze League Tour more than three months previous. After spending most of his childhood and teenage years wishing he could get out of sleepy little Tyle, Jackson looked forward to a few days off to rest and relax.
As exhausted as he was, Jackson’s excitement kept him awake, especially as familiar landmarks began to appear through the window. That and Briggs’s snores from the other side of their compartment were enough to keep even a Djinn with a hypnotized status awake.
Kay cringed as Briggs let out another snort and rolled over, mumbling and smacking his lips. Jackson toyed with the idea of letting Asena out of her ring. For some reason, Briggs’s snoring came off as something akin to a fellow Lyote communicating to Asena, and she usually answered back. Of course, whenever that happened, Briggs was usually in rare form for having his slumber disturbed.
“I’m not going to miss that,” Kay said. “Seriously, I think he’s going to strangle himself to death in his sleep one of these times.”
Jackson mimicked Briggs’s snore, which only seemed to subconsciously encourage his men
tor to reach even louder levels. Kay covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
“How does it feel to be done with your first season?” Kay asked.
Jackson searched for an answer. “It’s not as relieving as I thought it would be. Probably because we still have the playoffs. It’s hard to rest and celebrate when they haven’t handed out the trophy yet.”
“And that last loss probably didn’t help,” Kay said.
“Hey.”
“Am I wrong?” Kay eyed him.
“No, you’re not.”
“But,” Kay said, “I know how you feel. As glad as I am to head home and see my family again, I’m going to miss the time out on the road. Sitting in a dusty classroom all day is going to be pretty boring compared to life over the past year.”
“Don’t you get to do fieldwork?” Jackson asked. “How are you supposed to learn to rehab Djinn in a classroom?”
Kay made a wry face. “First-year students only study theory, so I’ll be watching a ton of holo-vids and reading my butt off. Yay.”
“I’ll send you plenty of vids so you can see everything you’re missing,” Jackson said with a grin. Though while he poked fun at Kay for being stuck in a classroom as he toured the country, part of him envied her for having some stability and consistency in her schedule.
“Just vids?” Kay said. “You better call me like every day! Seriously, I want to know how Asena and Scrappy and you are doing — even Briggs!”
“Okay, okay!” Jackson said, holding up his hand while his other reflexively protected his shoulder. Kay had a nasty habit of decking Jackson when he bugged her.
Silence lapsed between the pair. Jackson stared down at his Djinn rings, unsure of what to say.
“Scrappy and Asena and I are going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss all of you guys, too. And now poor Asena is going to be the only girl around! Hopefully four years goes by fast…it seems like such a long time.”
“Wait, what?” Jackson asked. “I thought Timber Falls was only a two-year program?”
Kay shook her head. “Two years for all of the understudy and two more if I want to be a Djinn Tech on my own and not just a Tech Assistant. That’s the best way to lock down a job as a rehabber at the Gold League level.”
Jackson felt liked he’d been hit in the stomach by a charging Bovan. As excited as Kay seemed whenever she talked about becoming a certified rehabber, Jackson couldn’t muster any enthusiasm of his own. Four years? That felt like forever. He tried to cover his shock with another joke.
“Well, I hope I’ll still have a spot in my corner for you on the team by the time you’re done.”
Kay gave him a sad smile, the antics were wearing off and they seemed to be getting to the heart of the issue now. Jackson would have rather the conversation ended while the jokes were still funny.
“It’ll go by fast,” she said. “And it’s not like we won’t see each other — I’ll be home during the summer while you’re in training camp or conditioning. It’ll just be when you’re in-season anyway.”
Before Jackson could answer, a ding sounded overhead, announcing they were entering the Tyle station. Briggs just snorted and rolled over again.
“Do you ever miss how things were?” Jackson asked Kay. “The last year has been insane — sometimes I wish we could go back to working at Sato and sneaking off to fight in the Underground on the weekends.”
Kay thought about it for a minute. “Not really,” she said. “It’s been a pretty cool ride, but I can’t wait to become a professional rehabber. It’s what I’ve always wanted, just like you being a tamer. It’s all coming together for us.”
For a brief moment when the conversation had begun, Jackson had been tempted to ask Kay to stay. He’d even gone far enough to look up a couple of online programs he was going to suggest she enroll in rather than attending Timber Falls. But after what she’d just said, he tried to imagine what he would do if she ever tried to convince him not to be a tamer. She’d supported him along his journey, no matter the crazy antics he put her through. Now, he realized, it was time for him to be as good a friend and do the same.
“Djinn Tech school and the playoffs can wait,” Jackson said. “For the next week, let’s just hang around town and live it up. Sound good?”
Kay laughed. “After this excitement, a week in boring, old Tyle does sound pretty good.”
Chapter Five
As soon and Jackson, Kay and Briggs exited the rail car, Jackson’s grandma, Jane, was smothering the first two in hugs and kisses on the cheek.
“Grandma, calm down,” Jackson said, finally fighting free. Even so, he couldn’t help but smile. A warm evening breeze filled the air, carrying with it the scent of green fields, Djinn manure, and fresh produce. It was good to be home.
“I will not calm down!” Jane said. “I haven’t seen you in months.”
“It’s good to be back, ma’am.” Briggs cut in, flashing his block of white teeth. He held out a hand and gave Jane’s a dainty shake. “And it’s good to see you again, if you don’t mind me saying.”
Jane flushed and giggled like a woman half her age might have. “Oh, Mr. Briggs, you’re such a charmer! Will you be joining us for dinner?”
Briggs shook his head. “Afraid not, ma’am. I’ve got to get back to my gym and make sure everything’s still in order. Plus, Midnight is ready for his own bed.” Briggs added the last sentence with a tap of the dark sapphire and ebony ring on his right index finger.
“And what about you, Kay?” Jane asked. “I’m sure your family is dying to see you but you’re welcome to join us, too.”
“I’d better spend the night with them, but I’ll be over soon,” Kay said, gesturing to the small electric truck where her parents and younger brother waited, honking and waving. “It’s not like we don’t have time.” She gave them a wave and headed toward her family, smiling broadly. “See you soon!”
Moments later, Jackson found himself alone with his grandma on the platform. The elation of being home mellowed slightly. It felt weird to be on a break after so many weeks of go, go, go. Part of him felt like he, Kay, and Briggs should have done something to celebrate the season.
We’ll celebrate when I win the championship, Jackson told himself, Briggs’s mindset apparently taking hold. Keep your mind right. The season isn’t finished yet.
Jane never stopped talking the entire way home. Since their apartments were so close to the rail stop, she’d ridden her town bike to greet them. Jackson wheeled it back for her and they walked home, Asena and Scrappy padding and gliding along with them, happy to be free from their rings.
Jackson listened as Jane filled him in on everything that had happened since his last visit over a month ago. Fields were growing, but that was about it, as always. Nothing new and plenty more of the same, week after week in sleepy little Tyle.
“I’m surprised Fiona didn’t come home too,” Jane said. “I know her parents are looking forward to seeing her in the break before the playoffs.”
Jackson found himself silently wishing he might have a chance to see Fiona again as well. Maybe he’d even see if she wanted to hang out while Kay was spending time with her family. Nothing serious and nothing involving taming. Just ice cream one night or maybe catching a movie when they were projected down by the river at the Grayson’s outdoor theater…He realized that’d be the kind of evening Fiona would loathe. When in recent memory had she been interested in anything unrelated to taming?
“Jack?”
“Huh?” Jackson said, coming back to reality.
“I said, are you hungry, Jack?” his grandma asked, apparently for the second time.
“Oh, yeah. I’m starving,” Jackson said. Jackson made a note to send Fiona a text or a short chat message after they’d eaten.
They reached the apartments soon enough and Jackson felt another layer of relaxation fall on him like a blanket upon entering the building. It still wasn’t home — they’d lost that last summer to bank foreclosure
when Jackson was first trying to make some money taming — but it was becoming closer with each passing week. Although Jackson still resolved to buy his mother’s house back someday, he couldn’t deny the modest apartment definitely had a quaint feeling to it.
While Jane called in an order to Freddy’s Bovan Burgers, Jackson plopped down on the couch and kicked up his feet. He put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. Asena laid down on the floor next to the couch and Jackson idly let his hand fall to run his fingers through her soft, thick fur. Scrappy perched on Jackson’s propped up knee, but the weight of the Scoundrook soon had Jackson shooing him off.
“You’re not as light as you were back when you were a Magglecaw, pal,” Jackson told him.
The Scoundrook gave a sulky squawk and then hopped down to settle on Jackson’s chest. The weight distribution was only slightly better and Jackson struggled to breathe, but he didn’t have the heart to push his Djinn off.
Dinner arrived and Jane continued to grill Jackson with question after question while he wolfed down his burger and fries, stopping only to slurp up huge scoops from his cookies and creme shake.
“Yeah, the big end of year gala and awards ceremony is in a week.” “No, I’ll be back after that. It’s just a weekend event. The DBL is flying all of the tamers out.” “No, you can’t attend, it’s for tamers and mentors only. Not even Kay is coming.” “No, it’s not going to be a wild party.” Though Jackson wasn’t really sure about that last part.
As exhausting as all of Jane’s questions were, Jackson would have much rather stayed and dealt with her nonstop interrogations than fly hundreds of miles away for the Bronze League Awards Ceremony. He pushed the idea to the back of his mind and resolved to make the best of his time at home and at the event.
“I saw your last fight on the holo-feed,” Jane said. “It looked like a tough loss.”
Djinn Tamer - The Complete Bronze League Trilogy Page 56